Modern computer applications are generally resource intensive. Antivirus applications are even more so because they interact extensively with many hardware and software components of computer systems on which they run during complex system scans and other operations. Despite the fact that developers constantly improve operation of antivirus programs and their interaction with computer systems, the demand for system resources by antivirus programs continues to grow steadily, due to the increasing complexity and proliferation of computer malware, such as viruses, worms, spyware and other types of malicious software. The increased utilization of system resource, such as hard disk drive, random access memory, processor time, network bandwidth etc., by antivirus applications may interfere with user's activities on the computer system and, therefore, adversely affect productivity of system users. Accordingly, there is a need for a more efficient technique for deploying antivirus applications on computer systems that would minimize their interference with activities of system users.